Voice Slow/Stretched Out

[smundye]

Hi folks.

After years of no voice problems I've now hit one.

For the last few days, ATC has been telling me that my voice messages are unintelligible.

Descriptions vary but are all of the form that my words are 'very low and slow', very slow and drawn out', 'deep and stretched out', each word taking at least 2 seconds'.

I can hear ATC fine so we end up with them on voice and me on text.

No settings have been changed that I am aware of.

Any pointers as to where I should be looking would be most appreciated.

[L. D. James]

Hi folks.

After years of no voice problems I've now hit one.

For the last few days, ATC has been telling me that my voice messages are unintelligible.

Descriptions vary but are all of the form that my words are 'very low and slow', very slow and drawn out', 'deep and stretched out', each word taking at least 2 seconds'.

I can hear ATC fine so we end up with them on voice and me on text.

No settings have been changed that I am aware of.

Any pointers as to where I should be looking would be most appreciated.

Hi, Start. Take a look at the FSInn/VATSIM FAQ on the front page of http://flightsim.apollo3.com . Look at the steps regarding troubleshooting Sound (sound problems), question #2 (“I configured my PTT, why can’t the controllers hear me (or vice-versa)?”). Go over the steps. Post the steps done and post the results of each.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

Thanks for reply Larry.

Troubleshooting Sound Output:-

I don't have a problem with sound output but checked settings anyway.

Troubleshooting Sound Input:-

Mic volume level in FSFDT Panel is always at zero. That's a function of the Realtek HD Audio. Anyway, volume is not the problem. ATC can hear me OK, they just can't understand what I am saying!!

Ensure you have the same device set in FSUIPC:-

You've got me there. I can find no reference to sound devices in FSUIPC. Nothing has been changed in there for ages anyway.

Testing the Sound Device:-

Works fine in Teamspeak, Skype and Windows Sound Recorder.

Check Network Connectivity:-

VVL bar functions all appear normal.

-------------------------------------------------

Probably not a lot for you to go on there I'm afraid.

Only in FSInn do I have this problem, all other 'sound' programs work fine; as has FSInn until the last few days.

It's got me stumped. I just can't figure out what can be stretching out my words. (No! there isn't a 'delay line' in my mic lead!! :rolleyes: ).

[L. D. James]

Thanks for reply Larry.


You’re welcome, always a pleasure.

Troubleshooting Sound Output:-

I don't have a problem with sound output but checked settings anyway.

Great. Validating all the components are important for me to have an understanding of the environment.

Troubleshooting Sound Input:-

Mic volume level in FSFDT Panel is always at zero. That's a function of the Realtek HD Audio. Anyway, volume is not the problem. ATC can hear me OK, they just can't understand what I am saying!!

I can understand your concentrating more on the input part since that’s where you’re saying you’re having problems.

Ensure you have the same device set in FSUIPC:-

You've got me there. I can find no reference to sound devices in FSUIPC. Nothing has been changed in there for ages anyway.

I don’t know where you’re getting FSUIPC. I don’t think it’s mention in any of my messages.

You got me there also.

Testing the Sound Device:-

Works fine in Teamspeak, Skype and Windows Sound Recorder.

Check Network Connectivity:-

VVL bar functions all appear normal.

-------------------------------------------------

Probably not a lot for you to go on there I'm afraid.

Only in FSInn do I have this problem, all other 'sound' programs work fine; as has FSInn until the last few days.

It's got me stumped. I just can't figure out what can be stretching out my words. (No! there isn't a 'delay line' in my mic lead!! :rolleyes: ).

You didn’t make a reference to testing the same settings that works in Teamspeak.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

Hello Larry,

..... I don’t know where you’re getting FSUIPC. I don’t think it’s mention in any of my messages.

You got me there also.

It's in your message for sure, otherwise I would never have thought of looking there.

..... You didn’t make a reference to testing the same settings that works in Teamspeak.

Yes they are the same, though I have tried swapping between 'wave' and 'direct sound' in FSInn but to no beneficial effect.

I did notice when checking all these settings that I have the 20db mic boost on. I'm not sure if that has always been set.

I'm about to do a flight from KHHR to KCLT. If there's any ATC about, I'll turn the boost off and let you know if that makes any difference.

[L. D. James]

Hello Larry,


It's in your message for sure, otherwise I would never have thought of looking there.

Thanks in advance for showing me where. I'd be glad to see it so that I could remove it. I can't see a reason for it to be there.

I have mentioned FSUIPC a few times in my history of giving support. On every occasion my only reference has always been that it doesn't matter running it, it doesn't have anything to do with the Operation of FSInn.

This is the same as having Squawkbox loading on the same computer with FSInn. They can both be install. It won't affect the operation of FSInn. That's my sum total of Squawkbox and FSUIPC.

I have made reference, VIA the FAQ of the position of the fscopilot.dll (via the FAQ) in relationship to other addons. But that's about the closest I can imagine any of my references to FSUIPC and FSInn. I don't mention FSUIPC by name, just a little tool to insure that fscopilot.dll is at the bottom of the xml.dll list. That's only for FSX. For FS9 it doesn't matter.

If FSUIPC is mentioned anywhere in any of my stickies, installation steps, or FAQ’s it should be removed because I do everything possible to keep them as brief as possible. Mentioning something that doesn’t matter would take up unnecessary space that I might be able to fill (replace) with something that matters.

Yes they are the same, though I have tried swapping between 'wave' and 'direct sound' in FSInn but to no beneficial effect.

This is an important component. This has resolve issues for many people, including me.

While, having both TS and FSInn set the same has never bothered me, Bill Casey has stated numerous times on the various forums that TS and FSInn has to be set different otherwise it’s cause communications problems.

This will involve a few more test on the matter, but you might try the combination again changing the wave/direct sound option on both FSInn and Teamspeak and making sure also to have tested both while they are not the same on Teamspeak and FSInn. You might also check some of the other sound programs to ensure there isn’t conflict.

Again, I haven’t ever personally experienced this as an issue. But I read all the FSInn support messages on both VATSIM, UK (and of course formally mcdu.com) and if Bill Casey made a comment in a communications thread he brought this up, stating that it always works.

I did notice when checking all these settings that I have the 20db mic boost on. I'm not sure if that has always been set.

I'm about to do a flight from KHHR to KCLT. If there's any ATC about, I'll turn the boost off and let you know if that makes any difference.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

Was in luck with ATC last night and again today but not in luck with this voice problem.

Tried swapping 20db boost on and off with both Wave and Direct Sound but to no avail.

Disabled Teamspeak in FSInn (i.e. un-ticked "Enable Teamspeak on tnis Computer"). No difference.

The only thing I can think of now is to try a different server (currently on UK-2) but can't think of any logical reason why that should make any difference.

[smundye]

Well now, there's a thing.

I was in touch with Curacao FIR (TNCF) last night with me on text and them on voice as per usual these days.

When he handed me off to Maiquetia FIR (SVZM) I changed the server FSInn was using from UK-2 to EUROPE-C2 and called them on voice.

They responded straight away and obviously understood me OK.

Although I managed to communicate with him on 'flying' things throughout the transit of his airspace, language difficulties prevented me from getting him to describe the quality of my transmissions.

Will try again when UK ATC comes online.

[smundye]

That would appear to have been a false dawn.

Tried to talk to Manchester Ground today. Asked him by text to report my voice call quality.

I tried all the various settings available but his comments were:-

"Very bad", "Can just about hear somebody trying to talk", "It's not any better", "Sounds like a pig grunting" and "It's almost like you are talking in slow motion".

So I'm back to square one and don't know what else to try.
its almost like you are talking in slow motion
its almost like you are talking in slow motion

[L. D. James]

That would appear to have been a false dawn.

Tried to talk to Manchester Ground today. Asked him by text to report my voice call quality.

I tried all the various settings available but his comments were:-

"Very bad", "Can just about hear somebody trying to talk", "It's not any better", "Sounds like a pig grunting" and "It's almost like you are talking in slow motion".

So I'm back to square one and don't know what else to try.
its almost like you are talking in slow motion
its almost like you are talking in slow motion

I just checked the thread history to see the results of trying the connection with your third party firewall/antivirus program uninstalled. You might give that a try.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

I just checked the thread history to see the results of trying the connection with your third party firewall/antivirus program uninstalled. You might give that a try.

Unfortunately I can't do that Larry.

I have been running NTL Netguard for some 10 years now.

Netguard provides Antivirus & Antispyware protection (with 4 hourly definition updates), Firewall, Parental Control (not used), Pop-Up blocker, Privacy Manager and Form Filler.

Since Virgin Media took over NTL they have replaced Netguard with their PCGuard which, on my broadband package, offers Antivirus, Firewall and Pop-Up blocker only.

Netguard is no longer on their server so, if I uninstall it, I will not be able to re-install it again.

Though I don't like the idea of being connected to the internet with no protection, I can temporarily disable it. Would that be worth a try?

[L. D. James]

Unfortunately I can't do that Larry.

I have been running NTL Netguard for some 10 years now.

Netguard provides Antivirus & Antispyware protection (with 4 hourly definition updates), Firewall, Parental Control (not used), Pop-Up blocker, Privacy Manager and Form Filler.

Since Virgin Media took over NTL they have replaced Netguard with their PCGuard which, on my broadband package, offers Antivirus, Firewall and Pop-Up blocker only.

Netguard is no longer on their server so, if I uninstall it, I will not be able to re-install it again.

Though I don't like the idea of being connected to the internet with no protection, I can temporarily disable it. Would that be worth a try?

It would be worth a try, but antivirus programs is the most common source of problems with the pilot clients and VATSIM. In most of those cases where they are the culprit they continue to interfere as long as they are installed.

There was a time when about the only one that caused a problem (that I was familiar with) was McAfee. Actually it had started causing a problem during one of its updates. It was posted common knowledge that the users had to remove that version of McAfee and downgrade to the previous version to succeed with the connection. Then a few noticed that a complete uninstall and a reinstall of the same version was also resolving the issue.

I haven’t ever had a problem with FSInn and VATSIM with any of the third party firewall/antivirus programs that I’ve used over the years. This has included Zone Alarm, Norton, AVG, McAfee and Avast. Someone has had a problem with all the ones I mentioned and could only use FSInn if they uninstalled the one that I mentioned.

Because, it affects some people, and I can’t tell which people it will affect and why or why it affects some and not others, I have included in the process to test having the third party firewall/antivirus removed to rule it out. In the past after having done everything else, this method has always resolved the issue. I don’t know if it would in this case, but I’d be surprised if it didn’t.

I understand your position.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

I got the chance to try that last night.

I tried to talk to DNKK_CTR (Yes! ATC in Africa!) with the entire Netguard suite disabled but no improvement. He described my voice transmissions as 'very low and stretched out', 'unable to figure out what you are saying'.

I was flying in the company of another member of my VA. We could communicate with each other via 'Teamspeak' no problem but trying to use VVL resulted in the same problem as I'm getting with ATC.

Is it time to try re-installing FSInn? If so, will I lose the aircraft repository?

[smundye]

Is it time to try re-installing FSInn? If so, will I lose the aircraft repository?

No opinion on that chaps?

Also, is VVL actually part of FSInn, where a re-install could make a difference, or does it simply access the computer's sound system?

[L. D. James]

I got the chance to try that last night.

I tried to talk to DNKK_CTR (Yes! ATC in Africa!) with the entire Netguard suite disabled but no improvement. He described my voice transmissions as 'very low and stretched out', 'unable to figure out what you are saying'.

I was flying in the company of another member of my VA. We could communicate with each other via 'Teamspeak' no problem but trying to use VVL resulted in the same problem as I'm getting with ATC.

Is it time to try re-installing FSInn?

While it appears like a third party firewall/antivirus program block, to test a reinstall probably wouldn’t hurt. There’s a chance your third party firewall/antivirus program would treat it differently on the next go around. This happens at times.

If so, will I lose the aircraft repository?

Yes.

Also, is VVL actually part of FSInn,

Yes it is.

where a re-install could make a difference, or does it simply access the computer's sound system?

A reinstall could make a difference as I mentioned above.

As far as accessing the sound system, I believe a better reference would be that the sound system is used for the output, much like a word processor would use a printer for it’s output.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames (http://www.apollo3.com/~ljames)

[smundye]

Oh dear, is nothing ever simple????

I finally bit the bullet and un-installed and re-installed FsCoPilot and FSinn ........ twice.

Both times, when trying to access the Inn Control panel from the Flightsim "Alt" menu bar the system just hangs on "Connecting to Multiplayer Session via Lobby".

Can't find a reference to that problem by searching the forum.

Any ideas chaps?

[L. D. James]

Oh dear, is nothing ever simple????

I finally bit the bullet and un-installed and re-installed FsCoPilot and FSinn ........ twice.

Both times, when trying to access the Inn Control panel from the Flightsim "Alt" menu bar the system just hangs on "Connecting to Multiplayer Session via Lobby".

Can't find a reference to that problem by searching the forum.

Any ideas chaps?

Look at the FAQ on the from page ( http://flightsim.apollo3.com ). It’s a connection issue. Start out with question #7 (“Why does the FSInn Button Stay Amber when I click it (Multiplayer/Lobby Connection Failure?”).

If that doesn’t work follow other connection resolutions. Let me know which ones fail if any of them.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

Well, the FS9Tool didn't fix it but it made me think 'Registry'.

So I cleaned the registry with RegSeeker and that did it.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. :D

Now to see if the FSInn re-install will let ATC be able to hear me properly.

[L. D. James]

Well, the FS9Tool didn't fix it but it made me think 'Registry'.

So I cleaned the registry with RegSeeker and that did it.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. :D

Now to see if the FSInn re-install will let ATC be able to hear me properly.

Which OS are you running?

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

Win2000 SP4.

Nice low 'overhead' leaves all the more CPU for the Flightsim!!

[L. D. James]

Win2000 SP4.

Nice low 'overhead' leaves all the more CPU for the Flightsim!!

Thanks. I guess this can account for some of the discrepancies. I haven't had an opportunity to test FSInn/VATSIM in that environment. I did run it on Windows 2003. Windows 2000 was pre the XP era. It's designed to go all the way back to Windows 98SE, but I haven't tested anything pre XP.

I hope things work out this time. I've seen were a third party firewall/antivirus program will start to interfere, and uninstalling and re-installation will give the third party firewall/antivirus a different perspective on the same application.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

Win2000 certainly doesn't date back to Win'98 etc, it uses the NTFS as opposed to FAT32 and is closely related to XP.

That aside, results are most disappointing.

Inspite of un-installing/re-installing all of FSCopilot/FSInn I still have the same voice problem with ATC.

I tried calling ATC using SquawkBox (wish I had done this before reinstalling FSInn and losing my aircraft repository!!) .

Exactly the same problem.

Really don't know where to go next.

[L. D. James]

Win2000 certainly doesn't date back to Win'98 etc, it uses the NTFS as opposed to FAT32 and is closely related to XP.

That aside, results are most disappointing.

Inspite of un-installing/re-installing all of FSCopilot/FSInn I still have the same voice problem with ATC.

I tried calling ATC using SquawkBox (wish I had done this before reinstalling FSInn and losing my aircraft repository!!) .

Exactly the same problem.

Really don't know where to go next.

I'm sure the FSInn/VATSIM FAQ regarding the third party firewall/antivirus program is the culprit. It's the most common culprit.

From this thread:
http://forum.apollo3.com/showthread.php?t=231&p=934

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

Still getting nowhere with this one Larry.

Whilst I can understand that firewall/antivirus could prevent communication, I can't see how they could cause the gross distortion I am getting only on transmit and only on VATSIM.

Clutching at straws, I did another clean install of FSInn/FSCopilot and set the firewall to ask for connection.

i.e. I set to "Ask" :-

FSInnUI
FSCopilot Addons
FSInn Applications
FSFDT Control Panel

I then fired up FlightSim and connected to VATSIM.

The only programs that asked for permission to connect were FSInn Applications and FSFDT Control Panel. i.e. Nothing from FSInnUI or FSCopilot Addons. (Not sure what the latter are).

I then asked ATC for a radio check.

The response was that my voice was "all stretched out, slow and unreadable".

Any clues in that lot?

[L. D. James]

Still getting nowhere with this one Larry.

Whilst I can understand that firewall/antivirus could prevent communication, I can't see how they could cause the gross distortion I am getting only on transmit and only on VATSIM.

Clutching at straws, I did another clean install of FSInn/FSCopilot and set the firewall to ask for connection.

i.e. I set to "Ask" :-

FSInnUI
FSCopilot Addons
FSInn Applications
FSFDT Control Panel

I then fired up FlightSim and connected to VATSIM.

The only programs that asked for permission to connect were FSInn Applications and FSFDT Control Panel. i.e. Nothing from FSInnUI or FSCopilot Addons. (Not sure what the latter are).

I then asked ATC for a radio check.

The response was that my voice was "all stretched out, slow and unreadable".

Any clues in that lot?

I’ve seen lots of struggling with the issue. Uninstalling the third party firewall/antivirus software almost always clears up this issue. I’m sure as I mentioned before it would also do the same in your case. Some of the times users will uninstall their third party/firewall antivirus software to see if that is the cause. The problem goes away. Then they will reinstall the same third party firewall/antivirus program and the problem doesn’t come back.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

...... Uninstalling the third party firewall/antivirus software almost always clears up this issue.....

Thanks for reply Larry.

Having searched this and many other forums many times, I have yet to find an incidence of "this issue" anywhere else.

The complete inability to communicate either one or both ways comes up quite often but that is not my problem.

To recap, voice comms are fine both ways on Teamspeak, Skype, MSN Messenger etc. etc.

But on VATSIM, I can hear voice 5 X 5 but when I transmit to either ATC or private VA channels my voice is being "stretched out and distorted" to an extent that makes it unreadable.

As stated above, I am unable to find any post on any forum that delineates this problem, yet alone one that was solved by uninstalling antivirus/firewall software.

Hence my reluctance to do so, (as I would not be able to reinstall NTL Netguard which I have been using for 10 years with no problems) without an understanding of how such software can cause distortion or a previous "case history".

[smundye]

Having lived with this problem for many months, I think I have finally found a clue.

I've been puzzled all this time by what can be different on FS9/FSInn from Teamspeak/Skype/MSN/etc which work with no problem.

It suddenly struck me, FS9/FSInn uses DirectX 9c for network voice comms, the others don't.

Now I've run DxDiag many times as a matter of course and it always reports 'No Problem' on all pages. This time however I opened the Network tab and, though it said 'No problems', I opened the 'DirectPlay Voice Options' tab and ran the 'Wizard'.

It tested the sound hardware OK. The Microphone test page worked fine but when I moved on to the 'Speaker Test' page my voice came back "all slow and stretched out" just as ATC report when I try to talk to them.

This is the first time I have been able to hear this effect for myself.

Does that help you suggest a solution Larry?

[L. D. James]

Having lived with this problem for many months, I think I have finally found a clue.

I've been puzzled all this time by what can be different on FS9/FSInn from Teamspeak/Skype/MSN/etc which work with no problem.

It suddenly struck me, FS9/FSInn uses DirectX 9c for network voice comms, the others don't.

Now I've run DxDiag many times as a matter of course and it always reports 'No Problem' on all pages. This time however I opened the Network tab and, though it said 'No problems', I opened the 'DirectPlay Voice Options' tab and ran the 'Wizard'.

It tested the sound hardware OK. The Microphone test page worked fine but when I moved on to the 'Speaker Test' page my voice came back "all slow and stretched out" just as ATC report when I try to talk to them.

This is the first time I have been able to hear this effect for myself.

Does that help you suggest a solution Larry?

It's my impression as I've mentioned, the problem is the results of an aggressive third party antivirus/firewall.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

... It's my impression as I've mentioned, the problem is the results of an aggressive third party antivirus/firewall....

I'm still stuck with this problem Larry and it is driving me crackers but it is still my impression as I've mentioned before that the problem lies in DirectX.

I have re-installed it countless times but DxDiag always comes up with the same report of missing registry errors.

I have just tried to re-install it another way, i.e. set the version back in the registry and then let Windows Update detect this and update it.

It went through the motions and said it had done so successfully but running DxDiag still comes up with the same problems.

Log file is attached.

Any ideas?

[L. D. James]

I'm still stuck with this problem Larry and it is driving me crackers but it is still my impression as I've mentioned before that the problem lies in DirectX.

I have re-installed it countless times but DxDiag always comes up with the same report of missing registry errors.

I have just tried to re-install it another way, i.e. set the version back in the registry and then let Windows Update detect this and update it.

It went through the motions and said it had done so successfully but running DxDiag still comes up with the same problems.

Log file is attached.

Any ideas?

What is the results of the FAQ #13 entry?

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

[smundye]

What is the results of the FAQ #13 entry?

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames

Thanks for the reply but not sure what you mean here Larry.

If you mean the FSInn/VATSIM FAQ's, then No. 13 addresses "Why can't I see aircraft on VATSIM".

I have no problem seeing other aircraft on VATSIM but is that what you meant?

[L. D. James]

Thanks for the reply but not sure what you mean here Larry.

If you mean the FSInn/VATSIM FAQ's, then No. 13 addresses "Why can't I see aircraft on VATSIM".

I have no problem seeing other aircraft on VATSIM but is that what you meant?

It's also a continuation of FAQ question #4.

I mentioned specifically the in a number of proceeding messages that uninstalling the third party firewall/antivirus program is the most likely resolution. The FAQ question goes into more details in suggesting leaving the Windows protection in the interim, and of course communicating with the support channel of the third party firewall/antivirus software for fixing or controlling the ramped software.

The problems caused by the third party firewall/antivirus program vary widely. But the solution is the same, as described in the FAQ.

I probably should have suggested that you follow the steps provided in the last part of FAQ question #4, "Why am I having connection issues?".

It's a lack of FSInn's ability to properly connect with Flight Simulator and the network that is interfering with the functionality.

-- L. James

--
L. D. James
ljames@apollo3.com
www.apollo3.com/~ljames